Nicholas County Health Department issues permits and conducts general sanitation inspections according the W.Va. 64 C.S.R. 18. Facilities regulated under this program include:
- Bed & Breakfast Inns
- Campgrounds
- Care Facilities (Not Including Long-Term Care)
- Hotels, Motels & Rental Cabins
- Institutions
- Labor Camps
- Mass Gatherings, Fairs & Festivals
- Parks & Playgrounds
- Organized Camps
- Schools
- Public Restrooms (Nuisance Complaint Basis Only)
Rules mandate the proper management of animals within permitted establishments; bedding & sleeping areas; prevention of communicable diseases; storage & disposal of garbage, refuse & solid waste; heating & ventilation; housekeeping & maintenance; laundry; lighting; noise; plumbing; establishment safety; sewage disposal; sizing & spacing; storage of toxins; structure & maintenance; establishment surroundings; toilet, hand washing & shower facilities; rodent & insect control; and sanitary water supply.
Permits are issued on an annual basis for the period July 1 to June 30 following submission of an Application for a Permit to Operate and proper fees. Mass gathering permits are issued for the period of the event. New general sanitation establishments must submit pre-operational plans and receive an submit to an inspection Nicholas County Health Department before issuance of initial permit. General sanitation establishments are inspected annually except schools which are inspected bi-annually.